Supplier Newsline

Wagner Electronics has unveiled its new "Sweet Spot" Technology. This patent pending technology is the result of a year long study and investigation into lumber drying process variability.

The study was conducted with four participating lumber mills located throughout the United States. Utilizing "Sweet Spot" technology to actively control the kiln-drying process allows customers to increase profit by as much as $400,000 a year depending on actual production throughput. Much of the profit recovery is due to the program's ability to cut down on energy and time costs. "Sweet Spot" technology utilizes a business analytics approach to calculate and determine the best way to dry lumber.

The "Sweet Spot" is determined by analyzing the varying cost of energy and degrade accounting for process deviations and naturally occurring moisture content distributions. A constant feedback control mechanism tracks process variations due to varying log diets and changing seasons to ensure that maximization of lumber value is constantly maintained.

John Deere Forestry has added the John Deere 3754D to its lineup of D-Series swing machines. With its durable redesigned structure and a Tier III-compliant engine, the 3754D boasts increased power, yet promotes fuel efficiency.

The John Deere 3754D swing machine is specifically designed to prolong uptime, with a new 9.0L 271-hp engine boosting fuel efficiency and a standard 277-gallon fuel tank extending run-time between fill ups.

Other product features boosting the efficiency of the 3754D include an updated hydraulic system that advances attachment performance and machine smoothness, and facilitates faster cycle times. Other improvements, such as easily accessible external debris management screens, newly designed heavy duty structures, hardened pins and tighter tolerances in critical joints, and better component protection, are said to help reduce downtime.

The 3754D incorporates many of the hydraulic upgrades of John Deere D-Series construction excavators--maintaining the company's reputation for being a leader in hydraulic control and multifunction ability and advancing hydraulic performance.

Productivity is increased through the engine/hydraulic management system that maximizes power and hydraulic output, saves fuel, and delivers smooth multifunctional hydraulic operation. By using the 450D undercarriage and drive system, the swing machine has superior strength as well as enough track power to get it where it needs to go. The propel motors are located well within the track frames and are heavily guarded. www.deere.com

Cat updates buncher cabs

Caterpillar Forest Products has updated the cab on its track feller buncher line, including the Cat 511, 522, 532, 541, and 552. The changes are intended to improve operator comfort and machine durability. They include a full-size sliding window on the left side of the cab to allow more fresh air into the cab, and a new quick release latch system on the escape hatch above the operator's head to allow for fast exit in an emergency.

Updates also include strengthened window mounting brackets and hardware to prevent damage from falling debris and a simplified design to eliminate potential leaks, strengthened and thickened sheet metal on the HVAC filter intake cover to prevent damage, and stronger guards and steel bar protectors on the work lights to prevent breakage and improve illumination of the work area. www.cat.com

Bracke Forest launches the first four-row disc trencher

Bracke Forest has launched what the company says is the world's largest and most productive disc trencher for use in the forest industry.

The T45.a scarifier has a potential production rate of up to 2.8 hectares per hour, which is over 80 per cent more than the two-row T26.a. This has an extremely positive impact on operating economy, as both fuel consumption and wage costs per hectare are significantly lower.

High productivity and low operating costs mean that the T45.a offers forestry contractors a piece of equipment with solid overall economy.

The T45.a has largely been developed for Bracke Forest's markets in the Nordic region and North America. Large forwarders make suitable prime movers. www.brackeforest.com

Morbark adds two new mobile grinders

Morbark Inc. has added two new mobile grinders to its diverse line-up of wood waste processing equipment.

The 1300B Track Tub Grinder and the 3800 Track Wood Hog offer contractors two more attractive options for mobile processing.

The 1300B Track Tub Grinder combines heavy-duty construction and new technology resulting in the definitive mobile tub grinder. The 330L Cat undercarriage, hydraulic augers, laser-cut hammermill and Iqan system are all important features to this new unit. A slew of optional features allow this machine to be customized to individual needs.

Intertape Polymer Group Inc. has reached an agreement with Pelliko Inc., a marketer of specialized packaging equipment, to acquire the exclusive North American rights for Pelliko's patented automatic wrapping system.

The system is designed to automate the process of wrapping packages up to 60' in length in less than one minute. This technology targets industries such as wood products, which are traditionally wrapped manually due to the unique and varied size requirements.

"We view this as a perfect complement to our existing products and services," says Bill Barnes, executive vice-president, sales and marketing, of Intertape's Engineered Coated Products Division. "This proprietary system will allow us to build on our customer relationships by broadening our offering and assuring we are bringing the market's best packaging alternatives to the table. This system will offer substantial savings to many industries." www.intertapepolymer.com

Swedes offer small scale pellet manufacturing

The Scandinavian company Sweden Power Chippers AB produces and provides complete solutions for small scale pellet manufacturing. Their products are distributed in Canada by Silvana Trading.

The PP300 Twin converts wood into 5 to 12 millimetre diameter pellets, and has a capacity of between 250 and 700 kilograms per hour.

The material used, such as sawdust or cutter dust from pine and spruce, with a moisture content of up to 15 per cent, must be free from contaminants. Material larger than 3 millimetres must be ground down in a grinder. It is fed into the intake and falls onto the feeder wheel, which pushes the material into the matrix. As the pressure and temperature increase, the material is bound together into pellets, which emerge from the matrix on the outside and fall down through an outlet on the protective cover. The temperature of the pellets is then reduced in a cooling tower before transfer to storage.

Finding just the right iron can be a challenge, but Ontario logger Richard Robinson has found a good equipment balance, with a Neuson MHT 20-tonne tracked harvester with a LogMax 5000 head and a Rottne Rapid forwarder.

There's wood product and bioenergy potential in the fibre debris left over from mountain pine beetle harvesting efforts--and Pine Star Logging is tapping into that with a Bandit Beast 3680 mobile grinder.